Fluffy homemade apple cinnamon banana nut muffins with a buttery walnut streusel topping. These bakery-style muffins have enough muffin top to make your day!
Some of my favorite recipes have been inspired from the simplest of things: a random craving, a restaurant dish haunting my tastebuds, or even a pile of produce quickly approaching use-it-or-lose-it territory. The latter is the catalyst behind these scrumptious muffins. Because that’s the only word I can think of to describe them: scrumptious.
Though I suppose we could channel our inner Wonka and call them scrumdillyuptious too. That’ll work! Or you can just simply call them breakfast.
Fluffy banana and apple muffins topped with a sweet, crumbly, buttery walnut streusel…
They belong in your face. Though they’re loaded with signature fall flavors, these muffins are equally at home in Spring and Summer months.
Also? If I didn’t post the recipe now my friends (and trusted taste-testers) would surely murder me.
so. . . how were they?
They’re fluffy, crumbly, and give plain old banana-nut muffins a run for their money. They’re kissed with just a hint of sweetness, making them perfect for breakfast or on-the-go snacking. Plus they have streusel which makes them infinitely better in my book! I cannot wait to make another batch!
Biggest thank you ever to my friend Cat, who is pretty much my guru of all things baking. She co-wrote this one with me and helped perfect the measurements! Without her, I’d be sitting on my kitchen floor covered head-to-toe in baking powder and bananas.
Ok so maybe I still am… It’s a good look for me!
I cannot wait for y’all to try these apple cinnamon banana nut muffins!
Apple Cinnamon Banana Nut Muffins
I’m not even exaggerating when I say I’ve made 5 batches of these muffins already. Don’t worry, I share! Sometimes.
Recipe will yield 9 muffins with some serious muffin top or 12 regular-sized muffins.
Apple Cinnamon Banana Nut Muffins
Ingredients
- ½ cup coarsely grated red delicious apple (skin on + packed)
- ½ cup super-ripe banana (mashed)
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tsp coconut oil (or your favorite healthy oil)
- ¾ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp allspice
- ⅛ tsp nutmeg
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup 100% whole wheat flour or extra all-purpose flour
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup greek yogurt or sour cream
STREUSEL TOPPING
- ¼ cup finely chopped walnuts
- 3 TBSP brown sugar (packed)
- 3 TBSP cold butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp salt
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F and allow cold ingredients to reach room temperature. Line a muffin tin with parchment paper liners or lightly grease.
- Next coarsely grate your apple with a box grater then chop it into little pieces for apple in every bite! Mash the banana with a fork until smooth.
- Add both to a skillet along with coconut oil, sugar, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg and saute until tender and fabulously fragrant. Remove from heat, transfer to a large bowl, and allow to cool to room temperature.
- While you wait, prep the rest of the recipe. Mince your walnuts until they’re super fine (feel free to use a food processor) and combine with remaining streusel ingredients.
- Mash and mix the streusel with a fork and/or your fingers until it transforms from powdery to paste-like. The result should be a crumbly, buttery streusel that makes you want to lick your fingers! Make the mixture as sweet or cinnamon-y as you’d like.
- Next combine carefully measured flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Set aside.
- Grab your cooled apple-banana mixture and whisk together with yogurt and eggs.
- Using a sifter or sieve, slowly sift flour into wet mixture as you mix the two. Stir until just combined. Use a tablespoon to divide batter evenly between 9 muffin cups. (I added a TBSP and a half to each cup) Add a hearty later of streusel on top of each.
- Bake at 350 F for 15-18 minutes depending on muffin size. Test with a toothpick in the center around the 15 minute mark and if it comes out clean, pull the muffins; otherwise, test again in a minute or two. Allow to cool and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
If you get a chance to try these Apple Cinnamon Banana Nut Muffins, let me know!
Leave some love in the comment form below or tag your photos with @peasandcrayons on Instagram so I can happy dance over your creation!
special diets and swaps
For those of you whole enjoy the taste and texture of whole grains, up the ante a bit by trying these muffins with 1/2 cup of 100% whole grain flour. Simply reduce the unbleached, all-purpose flour to 3/4 cup to compensate.
Your dairy options can vary based on preference or fridge status: plain greek yogurt, buttermilk, milk, coconut milk, almond milk… all will work with this recipe! If you don’t have honey on hand you can substitute a bit of brown or granulated sugar, agave nectar, maple syrup, etc…
Something you don’t want to skip? The streusel! It’s beyond magical.
gluten-free chefs
Use 1 + 1/4 cups of your favorite gluten-free flour blend. I used King Aurthur Gluten-Free Multi-Purpose Flour for one batch and it worked marvelously in the muffins and in the streusel topping!
You can also use your favorite dairy-free milk in the muffins and a little extra coconut oil in place of the butter in the streusel topping to make them both GF and dairy-free.
These were fantastic! I have never made muffins from scratch and the recipe was very forgiving. I had no allspice or red delicious apples. I used Granny Smith apples and improvised the allspice. Also didn’t let my eggs reach room temp. I literally saw your recipe on Instagram when I woke up and decided I must make it immediately. They were delicious and I had enough for a dozen. Thanks for sharing it!
I’’m so confused, in your recipe notes, you mention honey several times, but there is no honey in the recipe?
Oh gosh so sorry about that Lori! I’ve been making these since 2013 and have since updated the recipe to make it even better. I completely spaced about the notes section. I’m here if any other questions pop up – thanks for the heads up!
These are amazing if you follow the directions exactly. I never leave reviews and am always trying new ‘healthier’ muffin recipes , but I’m going to stick with this one. Very fluffy and full of flavour and texture. Thank you!!!
This muffin recipe indicated sugar but directions said honey. I used honey. The recipe indicated to chop walnuts fine and add any remaining to streusel topping. Ingredients don’t say anything about how much of the minced walnut to add to muffin mixture. I chopped by knife instead, and added them to my liking.
Hi Alma! So sorry for the sweetener mix-up! I tested this one 5x initially and opted to sweeten the muffins with just honey vs. granulated sugar. After making them a few more times I changed the sweetener to alter the taste/texture a little and needed to update the wording in the instructions. Thanks so much for your feedback! Ooh and for the walnuts, I add them to the streusel topping only (step 4) but they could certainly be folded into the muffins too – yum!
Outstanding muffin. Sautéing the ingredients in the skillet beforehand was a first for me but really brought out the flavors. I think these muffins are even better the second day. FYI: if using sugar as the sweetener- these muffins are beyond sweet, but no complaining here.
My boys love thinking they are getting away with eating treats for breakfast while I love knowing they are eating fruit. This recipe is super easy and tasty. The muffins are a quick breakfast go-to for us.
Grab and go for the win! Super happy y’all enjoyed them!
The perfect Fall breakfast!
These were a tasty treat. Great for kids and parents!
So glad you enjoyed them!
Banana nut muffins are my favourite – I love the addition of apple and cinnamon!
They’re total comfort food, right?! Thanks Marsha!
I made this recipe tonight and I’m sorry to say but I’m not impressed. It’s a very heavy muffin with a walnut crunch (no other flavors) on top. I followed the directions to the point and I won’t try this one again.
So sorry to hear it Donna. The apple cinnamon flavor for sure should have shone through in the subtly sweet muffins but I totally understand everyone has different tastes.
Very good food
Thank you! 🙂
I had a lonely ripe banana and a red delicious apple… little did I know that they would turn into a delicious muffin! Thank you for this recipe, looking at other recipes had over 1 cup of sugar, more butter etc… this is a much healthier alternative!
I also felt that sauteing the banana and grated apple with the spices and coconut oil really kicks up the flavor. I used Agave Nectar instead of the honey and unsweetened Almond Milk as the liquid.
As you mentioned the streusel topping is buttery, cinnamony goodness! I used pecans in the streusal which was perfect for me, and I actually got a dozen regular cupcake-sized muffins.
Thanks again!
Thanks so much for the sweet review, Gay! I’m so happy you loved them!
Very happy with the way these turned out! I have to admit that I ended up doubling the sweetener amount (i used combo honey and pure maple syrup). For my taste it was fine but was planning to share with neighbors and kiddos who are not used to subtle sweetness. The extra sweetener did not make them too sweet but just added enough to make those who are used to those fast food muffins, give these a chance instead!
Make this. Now.
I’ve made these muffins at least a dozen times. Easy, tasty, and my
family loves them. Great way to use those last few over-ripe bananas.
Blueberries!? LOVE IT! Thanks Nicole!
I just made these before lunch, but instead of banana I used blueberries from my freezer (thawed), they were AMAZING! Between my husband, myself and our three kids we almost ate the whole tray for lunch! Sooooooo good!!
Beautiful muffins! I adore anything apple much more than the pumpkin frenzy. I can’t wait to smell the spices and apples baking away in my oven!
Hey Sarah! Regular brown sugar is what you need! 🙂 packed means to pack the measuring cup with sugar when you’re measuring it out. Quick oats will be very chunky and might get a bit mushier than if you used regular oats then grround them into flour, but it could work! I haven’t tested it that way so I’m not 100% sure? If you lack whole wheat flour, regular all-purpose flour will work great. Hope that helps! Xoxo
I’m in Africa and don’t have packed brown sugar. I’ll just try normal brown sugar unless you have another idea?! Also, I’d love to use quick oats (not oat flour) but don’t have whole wheat flour. What proportions should I use?
MMMM… So wrong, but I just made the topping x4 and put it on bread and toasted it in the oven at 350 for 10 minutes. Heart attack, here I come!! <3
Muahahahaha! Love it!
Thanks a lot for sharing the recipe. I love trying out new stuff and coincidentally, I also have my friends act as taste-testers. They will be so excited to everything I make.
Just popped those bad boys in the oven. The countdown begins now. Can’t wait to see how they come out… More importantly, how they’ll taste.
Yay!!!! Hope you loved them!!! They’re an absolute favorite around here!
Just made these and they are great!!! Though I didn’t use apple (used almost a cup of banana total instead of 1/2 to ‘substitute’ the apple) or Wheat fllour (used 1 & 1/4 c reg unbleached flour). Used milk. The streusal topping is really what gives this it’s true yummy factor!! If I made them again, I’d double the recipe for the streusal!!!
I made 12 muffins with this. (They don’t get the big puffy muffin top, which I prefer)
Will make again!!
Ahhh good to know that without making them big and muffin-toppy that the recipe will make 12! Thanks! So glad you liked them and that you’re a streusel addict like I am! <3 haha mwah!
Looks sooo good! Thank you for adding a gluten free option, I will be trying them very soon!!
These look AMAZING Jenn!! I am 1000% making these muffins this weekend! I am a muffin maniac, so I am sure I will LOVE these!
GENIUS! LOVE these and so great for a little pick me up during the day! Thanks for sharing!
These sound so good!
wow sweetie these look amazing!
You had me at streusel. These look and sound incredible or as Wonka would say, scrumpdiddlyumtious.
… I think that because I am still injured and am currently kitchen-less (thank you creepy termites) you should feel obligated to send these my way 😉 Hehe.
i want to eat these. all of them!
Umm totes going to have to make these!
Oh, Yum! Jenn, where do you come up with these things…they look so good!!
Now that is my kinda muffin! Give me a tin of those and giant cup of coffee, yummy!
YUM! There is just something that is SO comforting about a good muffin recipe :).
These sound pretty fabulous! Muffins have been my main face-stuffer the last couple weeks!
These muffins look BEAUTIFUL! I love the texture of these. I can almost smell the apples, cinnamon and banana wafting through the house…I would love one of these with my coffee. I’m going to have to pin this for later!
These looks so great, I love muffins!!
I am living off of muffins lately. One each morning starts the day off right. These look lovely with the perfect nut toppings.
Yum yum yum! I have pears in the fridge now, and I bet those would still work pretty well with banana.
These sound divine and their texture is perfect! Can’t wait to try and make them!
Haha yep I love the slice pic too – and love that they’re honey sweetened. Delish!
This is why I’m terrible at making recipes for baked goods – I don’t know the proportions. I need a big book of proportions for things and then I’ll give it a go ;). These look DELICIOUS by the way. I need to get on this recipe ASAP!
Those look delicious! I think I would eat all the streusel topping too! I also love raw cookie dough 😉
These sound amazing! Can’t wait to make a batch for breakfasts during the week!
Loving the combo of flavours, I love all of them. I’ve baked with bananas and baked with apple, but I’ve never put the two together. These look so good.
These look delish! The recipes that come from using up ingredients before they go bad are sometimes my favorite recipes!
Yum! Now I’m craving muffins! Always love your recipes. 🙂 xoxo
The slice pic is fekking genius.